The Gift Of Death
by Dancstashjessky
Summary: WARNING: Extremely depressing! Got the inspiration from the really sad Buffy season finale! Oh well... please be nice, Danielle's in a really good mood (Schools done and she won an award!) but u can make her mood better by reviewing! (Thanx for beta-ing t


The Gift of Death  
By: Danie  
Betaed by: Kirky  
  
I just finished watching the season finale of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I was bawling my eyes out, it was so damn depressing!!!! Buffy died! But one good thing came out of it. I got inspiration for this fic.  
  
Disclaimer: I own Storyline, and can sue. But the characters, unfortunately, belong to the talented J. K Rowling.  
  
Basically, it starts at the end, if that makes sense. The end of the fight... Harry and Herm are on the losing side.  
  
But the fight is drawing to the end.  
  
Don't get mad at me for this, k? It's just my twisted muse that's inspired by horrible things happening in my TV shows. (Okay, ya gotta admit, that Buffy episode was sadder than Becoming, the episode when she sent Angel to hell....)  
  
I'd say enjoy, but this isn't exactly a happy-go-lucky fic....  
  
********************************************************************************  
  
The house was eerily quiet, almost still.  
  
Almost.  
  
Their chests heaved up and down with jagged gasps of air.  
  
Would they be their last?  
  
They sat.  
  
Waiting.  
  
He was there. Probably just outside the door, or maybe down the hall. Or down the stairs.  
  
Dragging it on... postponing by seconds, minutes, the inevitable.  
  
Seconds seemed like hours, minutes seemed like days.  
  
Making the worst seem even more terrifying than the dreams, the nightmares, the expectations, the harsh assumptions.  
  
Living hell.  
  
"Hermi, I need you to listen to what I'm about to say, before-"  
  
Before. The word reverberated through the room, silent, but painfully loud.  
  
"No... No Harry... Don't give up on this now. Please, we can fight it..."  
  
"No." He cupped her chin in his hand, wiping away her tears. "I can't... Herm, he has our wands, he's nearly got us..."  
  
"No, Harry. You can't give up like this. Not after all these years, all the times you've tried."  
  
"Shh..." He was so calm, it was terrifying.  
  
"If there's one thing I've learned from my life... All the abuse from the Dursleys, the years at Hogwarts, my life with you and Ron... I learned to always take something good away from every situation, good or bad. Learn something. From Voldemort, and the Dursleys, I've learned that bitterness and hate corrupt. That I never wanted to be like that. That's what kept me from killing Pettigrew back in third year... what kept me sane. Not wanting to be like that."  
  
He smiled at her through his tears, twirling a loose tendril of her hair.   
  
"I've learned so much from you and Ron. I learned friendship and trust. I learned to love... The Dursleys, they couldn't have cared less. You guys, you- showed me what it was like to love, to be loved. To be accepted. I never knew anything outside disapproval and exclusion. I didn't even know what it was to be happy..."  
  
Hermione entwined her fingers with his.  
  
"We can still fight this Harry... Please..."  
  
He shook his head. "Just listen..." He closed his eyes, remembering. "Dumbledore taught me, taught me how to be. Just to be, how to live with my self, without blaming everything on me. He taught me to be noble and right and to trust my gut instinct. I trusted him with all I had. He once- he once told me that, "After all, to the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure." My thoughts may not be too well organized, but I know his were. I have to believe him, Herm. There's got to be something after, and it's good. I have to believe."  
  
"Harry, you have to try, once more..."  
  
"Herm, I've tried all my life. It has to stop somewhere."  
  
"Harry, what have you learned, that can make this any easier, any better?"  
  
"My mother tried to save me Herm. My mother died so that I could live, breathe, walk on this earth. So I could have my chance. If I've learned anything from that, it's that love is more powerful than anything. Any power, any enemy. It's light can do anything. I've had my chance to see, to learn. I've gotten whatever I was supposed to get out of this life. It's someone else's turn."  
  
"Oh no, Harry, you can't mean-"  
  
"I love you Hermione. It's not about romance, or marriage, or a family, or just saying them to make us feel better. It's simple. Three words. I love you. That love courses through me, is a part of me, keeps me alive just as much as the blood coursing through my veins. It's not conditional, or temporary or anything. It's just there. And it reaches out and touches you. Holds you."  
  
"Protects me."  
  
He kissed her chastely on the lips.  
  
"Aren't you scared?" She whispered.  
  
" Terrified. But I love you. Don't ever forget that."  
  
"Harry, I can't. I can't do it alone... Please..."  
  
"You are never alone. I'm always here."  
  
Her pointed to her heart.  
  
"I'm giving you the greatest thing I have, Hermione."  
  
He squeezed her hand.  
  
"The gift of death."  
  
The door flew open.  
  
"It's over, Potter. It all comes down to this. Did you imagine it different? Did you? This is how it is."  
  
They sat in silence.  
  
The calm before the storm.  
  
"Goodbye Harry Potter. Avada Kedavra!"  
  
He slumped into Hermione's arms. But she did not cry out. Did not shed more tears.  
  
Red eyes stared into brown.  
  
"You are a fool, Voldemort."  
  
His lips twisted into a menacing smile. "Avada Kedavra."  
  
The spell rebounded, and he slumped to the ground.  
  
Unmoving.  
  
Hermione sat still as a statue, gripping Harry's limp hand.  
  
"Never make the same mistake twice."  
  
********************************************************************************  
  
So yeah, I cried writing that. Please review. I know it was pretty short, but hey, not bad!  
  
Please review,  
  
~Danie  
  
(Thanx Kirky!!!!)  
  
P.S. I'm in such a good mood right now... it's the last day of school... and I won top grade eight French Immersion academic! So yea... I got a nice plaque and a bunch of certificates. So a couple of reviews would really make my day even more! Thanx!   



End file.
